Tropical storm Debby struck northern Florida on Monday, August 5th, resulting in at least 6 fatalities. The storm is currently moving towards Georgia and South Carolina, and is expected to bring heavy rain and flooding to the entire region this week.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Debby made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida early Monday morning as a Category 1 hurricane. As the storm hit the Big Bend region, it brought wind speeds of up to 80 miles per hour (130 kilometers per hour), gradually weakening to a tropical storm.
It is predicted that the storm will move slowly, bringing up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain to coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina over the next few days, which could lead to catastrophic flooding.
Officials and law enforcement reported that in Levy County, a 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy died from fallen trees during the storm. Another fatality included a truck driver whose semi-truck lost control on Interstate 75 and crashed into the Tampa Bypass Canal.
According to Poweroutage.us, nearly 240,000 customers in Florida experienced power outages at one point. Flight trackers displayed hundreds of flights to and from Florida airports being canceled on Monday.
The NHC stated that Debby is expected to pass through Georgia on Tuesday night, head into the Atlantic Ocean, then possibly strengthen and make a second landfall near Charleston, South Carolina.
By Monday evening, the storm was nearing the Florida-Georgia border, about 30 miles southeast of Valdosta, Georgia, moving east-northeast at a speed of 6 miles per hour, maintaining wind speeds of 50 miles per hour.
Forecasters warned that Debby could bring “catastrophic flooding,” with some coastal areas along the Atlantic expecting rainfall of 20 to 30 inches by Friday morning. Governors of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina declared states of emergency to address the damage caused by Debby.
Local weather reports indicated that by Monday afternoon, Debby had already brought 8 to 16 inches of rain to some areas in central Florida.
Kevin Guthrie, Director of Florida’s Emergency Management Department, stated, “This rainfall could last five to seven days, possibly up to ten days.”
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster mentioned during a briefing, “This may be the most rainfall we’ve seen in a long time. Areas that have never experienced flooding before may be at risk of floods.”
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson expressed concern that the city could experience a “once-in-a-millennium” rainfall event. Despite the historic cliffs in downtown Savannah along the Savannah River, surrounding areas, including Tybee Island, are low-lying marshland at risk of flooding. Charleston and its environs in South Carolina are also highly susceptible to flooding.